Postmarker and stamp-canceler



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 1. J. N. WILLIAMS.

PQSTMARKBR AND STAMP GANGELER. No. 367,487. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. N. WILLIAMS.

POSTMARKBR AND STAMP GAN'CLER.

Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

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UNITED STATESy PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES NELSON VILLIAMS, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

POSTMARKER AND STAMP-CANCELER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,487, dated August 2, 1887. Application filed February 18. 1886. Serial No. 199,369. (No model.)

Stamp-Oancelers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for impressing the postmarks upon mail-matter and for canceling the stamps thereon; and the object of my invention is to produce a machine which shall be capable of impressing the postmark either upon the envelope or its stamp and also of canceling the stamp,either by perforating the same or by making a canceling impression thereon in ink.

To the above purpose my invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the inledistributer, the devices for actuating the main rod, the peculiar and novel form and arrangement of the supporting-frame,and of the perforating-cuttcrs, all as hereinafter described and claimed. y

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in side elevation of my improved machine,looking at the front of the same. Fig. 2 is a similarview of the same,

looking at its back. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation ofthe frame tilted upon its hinge, the working parts being removed. Fig. 5 is a detached view of the upper part of the main rod, the lever for operating said rod, and the knob for the latter; Fig.v 6, views in elevation of the dating-stamp and cutter; Fig. 7 views in elevation and section of a modiiication showing a dating and canceling stamp. Fig. 8 illustrates portions of envelopes dated and canceled by my improved machine5and Fig. 9 is a view in section showing the manner of securing the stamp to the main rod.

In the said drawings, A designates the base of the machine-frame, and B B, two curved standardsy rising from the rear part of the base.

C C .designate two vertical frame-pieces formed upon or suitably secured tothe upper ends of the standards B B and connected together by the horizontal sections D D', as shown. The standard B isjoined atitslower end tothe base A by a hinge, a, while the lower end of the standard B is connected by a removable pin, I), to a vertical lug, cl, upon the standard-base A, the arrangement being such that by.drawing out the pin b the entire upper portion ofthe frame may be tilted lat erally upon the base A, `for the purpose to be hereinafter described.

E designates the main rod, which extends vertically through the horizontal pieces D D' and has a feather, e, to prevent any rotation of said rod, a plate, d, having an orifice corresponding in form to the rod and its feather,

' being secured to the frame-piece D to insure the proper action of the rod. A spring, c', surrounds the rod E and is interposed between the frame-piece D' and a collar, e?, upon said rod, said spring serving to hold the rod in elevated position. A cross-bar, f, passes transversely through rod E and extends laterally beyond the erosslpiece D.

Upon the Vrear end of the rod f is pivoted the auxiliary rod F, which'extends downward toward the base A and serves to perforate the postage-stamps, as hereinafter described, the movements of this rod being guided and controlled by a strap, d', upon the frame-piece D.

Upon each side of the frame-piece D is pivoted at g an oscillating Ishaped arm, G, the rear end of which passes through a slot, d2, in the frame-piece D', in order that the oscillating movements of said arms may be properly guided and controlled. At their lower ends these arms G carry a horizontal inkingroll, H, the ends of which work in slots g in the arms Gr. This roll H is drawn upward against an ink-distributer, I, to be hereinafter more fully described, by springs g, surrounding thelower ends of arms G and securedto said arms and to the ends of the roll. At their upper portions each arm G is formed witha curved slot, gi', as shown, and through these slots extends the cross-rod f of the mainrod E. It will thus be seen that when the main rod is depressed or raised it carries the auxiliary rod F with it through the medium of the cross-rodj, and

that said cross-rod, acting upon the curved slots g of the arms G, causes said arms to oscillate back and forth between the standards B B. The distributer I is of curved or segmental form, and is attached removably tothe lower ends of the vertical frame-pieces C C. As shown, this removable attachment of the distributer is as follows: A cleat, c', is formed or secured to the lower inner part of the piece C', and the corresponding end 'i of the distributer is beveled off to enter beneath the cleat and against the inner side of the piece C. The lower end of the frame-piece C is beveled, as shown at c, and the corresponding end of the distributer is formed with a V-shaped channel, i. Thus by inserting` the endt beneath the cleat c the opposite end i of said distributer may be sprung upon the lower end, c, of frame-piece C, and the distributer will sustain itseltl in this position by virture of its own spring action. An aperture, t2, is formed through the middle of the distributer to permit the passage of the lower end of rod E.

The frame-piece C extends upward beyond the upper terminus of the piece C', and to the upper end of frame-piece C is hinged one end ofa lever, J, which extends across the top of the machine. This lever carries midway of its length a link or bail, j, which enters a notch, e', in the upper end of rod E. A knob, e2, having a socket, e3, fits upon the upper end of rod E, as shown. By means of this construction the rod E may be actuated either by the lever J or directly by the hand applied to the knob e2. In the latter event the lever J may be thrown out of action by first removing Y the knob and throwing thelever over beyond piece C.

The lower end of rod E is hollow, and is formed with two oppositely-disposed longitudinal slots, e4 e5, and also with two oppositely-disposed holes, e, the purpose of which slots and holes will presently appear. Into the lower end of this rod E is screwed a hollow perforating-cntter, K, the cutting-edge of which is beveled off or chisel-shaped, as shown. Vithin this cutter is placed a spiral spring, 7c, which extends normally somewhat out of its socket, as shown, the purpose of this spring being, when the rod is depressed, first, to hold the envelope for the proper action of the cutter, and then, as the rod is raised, to expel the clipping.

Upon the lower end of the auxiliary rod is screwed a tubular perforatingcutter, L, the cutting-edge of which is also of chisel shape, and which also contains a spring, Z, similarin form and operation to the spring k of the cutter K. The base A is provided with two dies, c c2, each of which consists of a stud project ing upward into an aperture in a plate se cured upon the base, as shown, the die c be ing for the cutter of the main rod and the die c being for the cutter of the auxiliary rod.

M designates the stamp which impresses the postmark inink upon the envelope, and which also cancels the stamp by an impression in ink.

For these purposes the lower face of the stamp is formed with a raised dating-surface, m, and with a raised canceling-surface, m', as shown. The body m2 of this stamp is tubular to recei ve the lower end of the rod E, and is formed with oppositely-disposed holes to receive a pin, p, which attaches the stamp to rod E, by passing also through its holes c, similar to the manner shown in Fig. 9 for securing the stamp M rigidly to the main rod. It may be stated here that when this stampv M is in use the cutter L should be removed from the auxiliary rod F, though such removal is not absolutely necessary, the cutter L, however, not being used.

N designates the stamp which is to be used in impressing the date upon the postage stamp simultaneously with the cancellation by the perforating-cutter K on the rod E, or for impressing` the postmark upon the envelope while the stamp is canceled by the cutter L on rod F. This .stamp is tubular throughout, and has a pair of oliipositelydisposed holes, a, (shown in Fig. 1,) and also a pair of similarly-disposed holes, a', (shown in Figs. l and 9.) These holes are to receive the pin p, which, when inserted into the upperholesm, is passed through the holes e of rod E. In this event it will be readily seen that the stamp extends rigidly so far below the cutter K of rod E that said cutter becomes inoperative. Thus the stamp N merelyimpresses the postmark upon the envelope, and the sta-mp is perforated by the cutter L on the auxiliary rod F. Then it is desired to impress the postmark upon the stamp and at the same time to perforate the latter for eancellation,the pin pisinserted into the lower pair of holes, a, of the stalnp N and through the slots e4 e5 of rod E, a spring, e8, being interposed around rod E, between the upper end of the stamp and the frame-piece Df,to hold the stamp downward. It will thus be seen that when the rod E is depressed the lower end of the stamp will first strike the postage-stamp and impress the postmark thereon, the stamp being provided at its lower end with suitable characters arranged in annular form for the purpose. The perforator K will now protrude beyond the lower end of stamp M and perforate the postage-stamp. W'hen the machine is being used in this manner, the cutter L is preferably removed from the auxiliary rod F. The results of these various adjustments of the machine will be readily understood by reference to Fig. S, in which envelope l shows the result of canceling and dating by stamp M alone; envelope 2 shows the result of canceling and dating by stamp Naud cutter L, and envelope 3 showsthe result of cancel ing and dating by stamp N and cutter K.

The distributer I supplies ink from its lower face to roller H, and it will bc seen that this roller travels twice over the distributer before each inking ofthe stamp M or N, so that the latter are thoroughly inked and a clear impression is certain to be given.

XVhen the distributer is to be supplied with TOO IOS

IIS

ink, or any adjustment of the machine is to be made, such operation` is facilitated by tilting the supporting-frame upon its hinge. The peculiar beveled or chisel-like form of the perforating-cutters enables them to operate by shearing or drawing cut, so that the perforation is made clean and Without any liability of tearing the paper. This for m of the cutters also facilitates the expulsion of the clippings by the internal springs of the cutter.

The peculiar curvature of the standards A A' permits the letters or other mailniatterto be fed in a continuous line one after the other to the machine, instead ofbeing fed separately, thereby economiizing time and increasing the capacity of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a postmarking and canceling machine, the combination, with a frame and a verticallysliding rod mounted therein, the said rod carrying a cutter and provided with slots and perforations, of a stamping-block adapted to be secured both rigidly and loosely t0 said rod, substantially as set forth.

2. A vertically-moving rod mounted in a suitable supporting-frame and carrying a per foratngcutter upon its lower end and slotted and 4perforated at said end to receive either a fixed' or sliding stamping block, substantially as described.

3. A vertically-moving rod mounted in a suitable su pporting-frame and constructed to receive a cutting or stamping device, in comortin0-frame for its workin(r )arts hinged s p a a: o

upon a base or bed in such manner asto 4tilt laterally, substantially as set forth.

G. A postmarking and canceling machine having the supporting-frame for its working parts provided with a pair of standards,one of which is hinged to a base-'plate and the other detachably connected thereto, whereby said frame can be tilted laterally and secured in upright position, substantially as described.

7. rlChe sliding` rod E, having split or notched upper end,and a knob, e?, in combination with lever J, having link j to detachably connect the lever and rod, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES NELSON WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

CHAs. EsoHnRIcH, AsHBEL HUBBARD. 

